Court Date For Accused Noblesville School Shooter Postponed

A Monday court hearing for the 13-year-old boy charged in the Noblesville school shooting of his teacher and a student was postponed by the Hamilton County Court.

Attorneys for the boy filed a motion to request delay of the hearing for at least 60 days due to the large amount of evidence. County prosecuting attorney Lee Buckingham did not object to the motion.

"The discovery in this matter is voluminous. and will require additional time to evaluate," wrote the suspect's attorney Christopher Eskew and Ben Jaffe in the motion. 

The court decided to continue the hearing to a future date that's yet to be decided, said Orval P. Schierholz, administrator of courts.

The accused was scheduled to be in the Circuit Court for a "fact-finding” hearing on Monday June 26 and Tuesday June 25. The teen is being tried as a juvenile as required by state law.

WFYI is not naming the suspect because he is not charged as an adult.

The suspect faces charges from the May 25 shooting at Noblesville West Middle School, which injured two people – seventh-grade teacher Jason Seaman and student Ella Whistler.

Those charges would be two felony counts of attempted murder, aggravated battery, battery using a deadly weapon, and possession of a firearm on school property.

But, according to Indiana law, since the student is younger than 14 and not charged with murder, he cannot be tried as an adult.

In a juvenile case, the defendant is found to be "delinquent" or not. There are numerous options a judge can determine if the defendant is found to be delinquent, such as placed under the wardship of the Department of Corrections until rehabilitation programs are completed, and/or ordered to receive psychological or other medical care.

Whistler was shot seven times and remains at Riley Children's Hospital. Seaman was shot three times and was released from the hospital two days after the shooting.

At a Jule 11 hearing  Hamilton County Court Magistrate judge Todd Ruetz set the hearing for June 25 and June 26.